The Seductive Dark
by michelle lines
Summary: The Volturi are disappearing. Years after Edward left Bella in the Forks, he and his family find themselves in the city of Volterra fighting against a great evil that they themselves may have had a hand in creating.
1. A Girl Likes to Keep Warm

**Prologue**

Forged by loss, regret and an ever encroaching darkness- she was created. Though what created her may also be her downfall. The path is for her to choose.

 **Somewhere in the streets of Volterra..**

They could feel it in the crisp morning air; something dark and looming. But, Alice had seen nothing. No warning, no vision that would cause panic. So in truth the fact that they were all on edge made little sense. The weight of the unknown was so thick among them that even Jasper could do nothing to ease the family of vampires as they drove to Volturi Manor. This was routine after all. Every 4 years or so when the weather permitted, Aro would invite them down and ask them to join his guard.

 _Persistent,_ Carlisle mused in his head. _Persistent as always yet this particular invitation seemed to reek of desperation._

Edward could hear the thoughts of his father of course but he made no comment. Mundane things such as a trip to Italy to politely decline Aro's pleas broke up the monotony of his life. Leaving Bella was something he felt he had to do, so he chose to spend precious little time regretting the step. Instead, he busied himself with the systematic things that could fill the space in his head. The trip seemed tediously long because in all truth it had been. It seemed that the Cullen's had all taken after Edward. Although it was normal in their world to do things with speed and ease, they found that it left too much time for thinking. Too much time for morning the loss of their sister. So they did things at a human speed, even when out of sight.

The gates of Volterra opened wide for them, and the small car moved through deliberately. Driving down into the parking embankment, they were greeted by Demetri. Who looked positively ill.

"Hello, Cullens. Rosalie," He said, with a nervous grin. He was met with an icy stare that radiated " _pathetic."_ Always quick to recover, Demetri led them into the manner and down the hall toward Aro's quarters. Emmett was the first to speak.

"Umm, where is everyone? " Everyone else's thoughts seemed to mirror that very same question but Demetri pressed onward unfazed.

"I'm not sure to what you're referring." Aloof.

"You're guard is normally crawling throughout this corridor but now it seems empty-" Esme began.

"Ah, that. Aro will uh...inform you of the things that have transpired." He kept his eyes down as they reached the door. He ushered them inside and then stepped out. Aro, in all his grandiosity was clothed in a long luxurious robe of silks and various gold fabrics with his arm dramatically thrown across his face as he sulked behind his desk.

"Aro?" Carlisle pressed quietly as if not to frighten him.

"Please tell me you've reconsidered." He stated without raising his head. "Please tell me you've reconsidered joining us. It's imperative that you say yes."

"Dude, no. What is goin on around here anyway?" Emmett bellowed. Rosalie smirked at his bluntness. His immature nature often lifted the darkness that seemed to be thick in the air around them.

Aro stood, solemn.

"No doubt you noticed the lack of the guard on your way. You see, there have been... _disappearances."_ His teeth clenched. "A threat...a great evil has been unleashed on us and you may be the only way to save us. To save us all."

"Aro," Carlisle began firmly. "I don't know the threat that you're speaking of but I refuse to put my family into danger for the sake of-" He was cut short by the sound of shattering glass as two figures crashed through the window and landed before the Cullen's. A woman with long dark hair had her high heeled boot resting firmly on a terrified looking Cauis. She purred into his face with her back facing the stunned family and then effortlessly lifted him by the neck, cocking her head to the side menacingly. "Oh. Sweet, sweet, Caius."

Her voice moved like black silk. It was smooth, and dark with a sickening sweetness that dripped from every word she uttered. Shaking off the shock and confusion, the remaining vampires in the room crouched defensively.

" _JANE! HEIDI!"_ Aro bellowed. No one entered.

"They aren't coming." She said, as if she knew something everyone in the room did not. And she did. Cauis was still being held in the air by his throat until she seemed to grow tired of her little play thing and casually tossed him across the room. Without his head. Esme shrieked.

"Seems he's gone and lost his head."

Carlisle was losing his patience by the second. He pressed forward and gripped the attacker by the shoulders, restraining her and effectively revealing a familiar, albeit different face to a very shocked audience. Carlisle's grip on Bella had not loosened but his eyes inevitably softened.

Edward had gone cold.

"How is this even possible?" Jasper questioned starring directly at Alice. The curiously calm Alice didn't answer Jasper. She instead turned her focus to Carlisle.

"Let her go. Trust me." Carlisle hesitated. Edward was still silent. Rosalie and Emmett were gawking. Esme seemed to be on the verge of hysterics.

"You should listen to the pixie." Bella grinned. But he hadn't heeded the warning.

"NO. Someone is gong to explain-" He began as Bella vanished from his arms only to appear directly in front of Aro.

"So this was the plan, eh? Bringing them here. Thinking they could save you?" She knew the answers to each thing she asked, it was all for show. Aro on the other hand seemed at peace with his tactical strategy.

"All I did was invite my dear friends as I always have. The fact that you seem to have some sort of history with them means very little to me." he lied. The two were foes of a different kind. The history between them was long and blood ridden. It was a game that intrigued Bella. And in a suspicious way it intrigued Aro. But only when he seemed to be winning.

"I'll tell you what. You catch me, and I'll go. Vanish into oblivion. But _until_ you catch me- that little guard of yours will disappear even quicker than before." She menaced, tilting her head slightly in the Cullen's direction.

"Oh. And I _do_ hope you join the guard. I would take great pleasure in ripping the limbs from each of you for my fire pit. It does get quite chilly at night and a girl likes to keep warm."


	2. Click

She didn't run off, she simply vanished. Leaving them all dumbfounded.

Edward was the first to speak. It was hollow and direct.

"So Bella. Bella is the great evil." Aro nodded.

"She has ravaged this place. Killed so many of the guard and I fear her ultimate goal may be something far worse than any of us have imagined." There was silence among them again. How had such a mundane and routine trip turned so suddenly? How had they found themselves here? And who could they blame?

"Aro," Jasper began suddenly. "What qualms does she have with you? What could you have possibly done to incur her wrath? She radiates a deep hatred; an anger that is rooted in sorrow and a lust for revenge. I could barely be around her much longer." Before his question could be answered, Rosalie chimed in.

"Didn't you hear her say she wanted to kill us? Are we just going to _ignore_ that?"

Esme sighed. "She didn't mean it. She's just a little angry-"

"We don't know that, Esme. I love Bella like a daughter, but she made a credible threat against our family." Carlisle said, leaving no room for argument.

"We're not just going to run are we?" Emmett questioned, looking at the expressions of his family. Everyone had the same worn, and lost expression except for Alice. Who had been quiet for some time.

"Can you see anything?" Edward asked, desperate.

"The future is unclear. I can't see her." She was lying. But having lived in this family so long , she became very good at aligning her thoughts with the lies tumbling from her lips. Edward was none the wiser.

"You can't run. Please, join us. Help us." Aro pleaded. He was met with an unsure silence so he continued, " At least stay here until the matter is sorted." Carlisle looked unsure. "Please, old friend."

"We'll stay." It was Edward who made the call. "Would you leave us for a moment?" It wasn't exactly a question, it was more of a demand. Edward's eyes never left Aro as his family sheepishly backed out go the room to leave the two vampires to their own devices.

"Where did she go." He demanded, but Aro looked contemplative.

"I know where she is. But my men dare not go there. It's suicide." There was something behind his eyes that made Edward perceive him to be untrustworthy. But his thoughts were a mixture of many things. He was genuinely concerned about the threat, the lack of the guard, and he idly had a thought about Alice, but he was quick to cover.

"Tell me where I can find her."

The rest of the Cullen's were crammed together in a spare room of the manner, all in various states of duress.

"We shouldn't have left Edward in there. With the shock he's liable to do anything. Even to the detriment of himself," Esme murmured.

She was right of course. Edward was becoming unhinged. He held it together in the there, but the thread of resolve he had was quickly unraveling. It had taken everything in him not to run to her, hold her, kiss her, and apologize for leaving her as abruptly as he had. Because maybe if he hadn't, none of this would be happening. In all his efforts to keep her from damning her soul- he had lost anyway. She was a vampire. With untold power. It also seemed that Alice's calm facade was cracking as well, even though only Jasper was aware of it.

"He's going to try to find her. It's...not a good idea."

"How do you know that? Did you see something?" Rosalie quipped.

"No. It's just obvious that she's strong and emotionally damaged. That's a dangerous combination for anyone."

 **Somewhere under the streets of Volterra..**

Bella was holding a small crystal object in hand, watching as the dim light caused a rainbow to flash against the wall behind her. Indeed, it had been a productive day. Even seeing the family that had abandoned her all those years ago hadn't dampened her mood. In fact, it lit a fire under her. She glided up the stairs, and looked over the city before her.

 _I can't wait until it's mine._

A buzzing sound broke her out of her reverie and she looked down at her phone and smirked.

"Why hello, _sister."_ She purred. Alice cleared her throat on the other end of the line.

"We need to talk."

"Oh, whatever about?" She said, feigning innocence.

"You know what about." Alice said, her voice clipped.

"Ah, they don't know do they?"

"No."

"Yeah, I figure telling your family that we've been in touch and that you're the reason for so many deaths would be a hard thing to communicate. But best of luck."

 _Click._

 ** _Reviews are appreciated 3_**


	3. Alice

" _Bitch_." Alice hissed, dialing the number again. After hearing the blank voicemail 3 times she inevitably gave up. Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder, violently twisting her around. Jasper.

"Would you like to fill me in on whats going on?" He whispered. He and Alice were in the garden behind Volturi Manor, out of sight. Of course she had expected this, Jasper knew her better than anyone; it was only a matter of time before he approached her this way.

"I can't..I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone." He looked at her with an unreadable expression.

"I'm not _anyone._ Alice, tell me what's going on. There's nothing you could have done that would make me run from you. Whatever it is...whatever your burden is, its mine too." If they could, her eyes would have been flowing with tears.

"Jasper, I've done something really awful."

Edward was on the move. He'd finessed the answer out of Aro and he was striding down the hall to the room assigned to him. "Carlisle," he called. In a flash, there he was, standing before Edward eyeing him warily.

"Alice told me you're going after her," he began.

"I am."

"She also said that she doesn't believe it's the best idea for you to go. At least not alone." Edward paused. The facade...it was close to cracking again.

"Carlisle...Dad. I did this. I don't know what happened in the years since we've been away but what I do know is that I am partially responsible. And if I die trying to right my wrong then so be it." He made a move to push past him, but Carlisle placed a soft hand on his shoulder.

"Edward, whatever decisions you made in the past were in an effort to protect her. I have already lost a daughter, please don't make me lose a son too." Edward looked down at the floor. He understood Carlisle's position. But there was nothing anyone could do to keep him from seeing her. Nothing. He picked up the keys to the car and gave Carlisle a brief glance. Before he walked out the door he whispered, "Tell Esme I love her. I love you all." And then he was gone.

The streets of Volterra were dark at night. Edward was the sole car on the street, the high beams flashing like shot in the dark. The location Aro gave him was vague, but Edward had latched on to her scent. And though he had no idea of what he was planning to say, he assumed the words would come to him. As long as he could see her. He looked down at his phone and had several missed calls from Alice. He dialed back and she picked up on the first ring.

"Turn back around, now." She was pleading.

"I can't Alice-"

"There's something you don't know Edward. Please, come back and we can formulate a plan or-" _Click._

He wasn't hanging up to be rude, he hung up because there was a figure standing in front of his car. He was at the intersection of a dimly lit street, and there she was. Just lighting it up. He exited the car and but didn't move close to her, he knew that this was on her terms.

"I figured I'd see that beautiful face again. I just didn't realize how soon."

"Bella," he said finally taking a step toward her.

"Ah, ah, ah." She said, as he crumpled over in pain. He fell to the ground clutching his torso, shaking. "I would stay right there if I were you, _love."_ Her tone was still sweet and menacing.

"H-h-how...Jane..." That was all he could manage out. He had only experienced this pain once in an altercation with Jane at the manner decades ago. Was it possible that Bella had developed the same power? Although he had no way of knowing, the reason behind her gift was much more sinister.

"Thats enough of that, now." She said, and Edward stood to feet, shaken.

"I knew you'd be coming to see me, Edward. However, I have no interest in a _parlay_ as it were. My plan is already in motion."

"I'm not here for any of that. I'm here for you. I want..I just want to talk."He placed both hands up in surrender.

"You have 60 seconds."

It all came out in a jumbled mess . "I am so sorry. I never should have left you but I only did -"

"55 seconds."

"Bella-" He began, before his lips closed without his consent. He couldn't speak. The only vampire he'd ever encountered to wield the ability of control over another like that was one he met years ago in Brazil. Nothing was making sense anymore, Edward swallowed a cry of frustration. Its not as if he could have let it out anyway.

"Now, thats better. You look much better when you're silent. Do I have your attention, Edward?" She cooed. He nodded, his eyes strained.

"I'm not going to kill you or the little coven you call a _family_. At least not yet. I assume that you'll collapse in on yourselves and destroy one another with little interference from me." She eyed him carefully and waved her hand. His ability to speak returned.

"I...What do you mean? Please, tell me what happened...how are you- I mean I .." It was the first time in decades that he had found himself at a loss for words. He had too many questions. Who had changed her? Why was she so angry? And killing the guard? The girl he left was now a woman he didn't recognize. He loved her still, even after all the chaos, but when he looked into her eyes he saw no shimmer of love there. So he tried to bring it out.

He ran a hand through his hair and eyed her intensely. She had once told him that she dazzled him. He had to try that now. One hand in his hair and a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth he took a step toward her. She made no move to stop him. He chuckled lightly.

"You know...I've decided something. _I love you._ Even if you kill me. "He took another step. Bella was still, eyes unwavering.

"And no matter what you've done, I will always love you. I'm not going to stop fighting for us, Bella. I won't. I only left to protect you, but now I see that all my efforts didn't work-" She silenced him again.

"You left to _protect_ me. I assume from becoming like you? Or maybe to protect me from some unknown threat... But do you know whats funny about that, Edward? The threat wasn't unknown. It was a certain annoying little pixie you call _Alice._ "

She smiled at the way his eyes bulged.

"Now," She took a slow step toward him.

"Go tear each other apart."

She smiled, and then she was gone. It was as if she was never there at all.

Edward was on the move.

 _Review for more_


	4. Revelations

Edward never took his foot off of the accelerator. He made it back to manor in no time at all; his stride was direct and hostile. When he found her she was amongst their family, her eyes shinning.

"Tell me," he began. "Tell me what the hell she's talking about, Alice. _Now."_

He was getting dangerously close to her and Carlisle stepped in between them. Alice never took her eyes off of his.

"I know you're angry. But we don't have time for this right now. We're all in danger. She's-" She was cut off by Edward's menacing look as he cocked his head to the side slightly.

" _Stop hiding your thoughts from me."_ He hissed, and Carlisle put his hands up.

"Stop it. We can sort out the past later. Alice, is she coming here? What is the danger?" He asked, placing a comforting hand on Edward's shoulder that was quickly brushed off as he went to take an angry lean against the wall. Alice hesitated. Esme gave her a reassuring look and Jasper nodded for her to share what they discussed earlier.

"I've been...hiding a lot from all of you-"

"That much is clear." Edward interrupted. Alice ignored his quip and continued.

"I've been hiding a lot. I'm ashamed of that. But we have to leave this place. Bella is...dangerous. Her gift is unlike any that I have ever encountered."

"What the hell can she do?" Emmett asked.

She hesitated again.

"She can steal gifts. She can steal the gifts of other vampires. But once she has them- she has them simultaneously and forever." Carlisle eyed Edward warily. Truthfully, none of them had heard of such a gift and they weren't sure how to fight it because they didn't even know all the gifts she possessed now.

"This isn't making sense," Esme said, standing. "If she can do that, then why didn't she take any of ours? "

Another pause.

"Because she has to rip your head off to get it."

 **Somewhere under the streets of Volterra...**

Alec was cowering in the dark. He didn't know where he was or who his pursuer was. Although he had an inkling. The guard was being thinned out. He already knew that Jane and Heidi were gone and he shuddered when he realized his ability of sensory deprivation wasn't working against his attacker.

"Stop squirming, its pathetic," She cooed.

"Please," he began to whisper. "I'll give you _anything_."

She stepped closer to the cowering figure, revealing her face in a speck of light.

"Ah, I do love it when they say that."

And then- Alec lost his head.

 **Volturi Manor**

It had taken them some time to come to terms with the new information Alice had just dumped on them before Jasper spoke up.

"I've been thinking since I found all this out. I think the smartest thing we can do is run. Buy ourselves sometime. We know she hasn't gotten to Aro or Alice so she has no way of foreseeing where we go." He was met with mixed reactions.

"I'm not so sure running is the best idea." Carlisle said, contemplative.

"Whatever we do, we have to move quickly."

Edward still said nothing. His silence was icy, and Jasper could feel the waves of his guilt.

"Nothing about this makes any sense at all. I just saw her. And she had Jane's power and another too but...She could have taken mine but she didn't. She said we would all turn on each other. Alice," he turned to her, eyes pleading.

"Tell me, what you've done. I have to know." She eyed him carefully.

"I-...I'm the reason she's like this. I did all of this, Edward. _I changed her_."


	5. The Past

**Five Years Earlier**

Alice _knew_ better. She promised Edward she wouldn't so much as think about Bella...let alone check for her future. But when Bella began sending draft emails several of them came through to her. It was inevitable that she'd see at least a few of them, all of which seemed to be begging for closure. In her letters, Bella claimed that she could understand Edward's disinterest but she felt a crack in her heart over the fact that Alice too had gone without so much as a goodbye.

 _I'm sorry, Bella._

That was all she sent, but it opened the flood gates.

 _Why didn't you say goodbye? Can I see you?_

That message sat in Alice's inbox for days. Every outcome of the future ended with Edward discovering her betrayal, so what was she to do?

 _Maybe we should stick to emails, yes?_

Bella agreed to that, it was better than nothing at all. Over the months she found comfort in her correspondence with Alice. Later on, Bella would grow to resent this altogether but there was no way for her to see that then. Everyday, the long distance friends would discuss music, television, and the tedium that came with there day to day routines. The day that really shifted everything on it's axis was a windy Thursday evening in October.

Thursday, October 26th

B: _Alice, I have a strange question_

A: _lol go ahead_

B: _Do other mystical creatures exist? Or is it strictly vampires?_

A: _Why do you ask?_

B: _My friend. You remember Jacob? I think he's a werewolf_

A:

B: _Well, I don't think. I saw him, theres an entire pack! But I didn't know if that meant other things existed too_

A _: Bella, werewolves are dangerous. Please promise me you'll stay away from them._

She hadn't listened of course, Jacob brought a warmth to Bella's life that she never anticipated experiencing again. Over time, her correspondence with Alice dwindled which she hadn't really noticed even though Alice had. No one could have predicted that 3 months after their conversation about Jacob that the unthinkable would occur.

Bella had just left the local coffee shop, balancing coffee, baked goods, and a small tea for herself. Climbing into her truck she made her way over to the reservation as she did every Saturday morning with breakfast for Jacob and the pack. It had seemingly found its way into her routine. Once she arrived, everything she'd balanced tumbled to the floor around her and became soaked with blood. The shriek escaped her throat before the last pastry hit the ground. There, in horrific precision laid Jacob, Seth, Sam...all of the pack. Dead.

Body parts were scattered about and blood covered every inch of the floor, walls and it was slowly creeping to Bella's feet.

There was truly nothing she could do except shriek. Someone- _something-_ had ravaged them all. But she didn't know who or why. Her mind drifted to Victoria, but she hadn't consider that to be feasible without at least one of them taking her down in the process. This couldn't have been done by one vampire. With a shaky hand Bella slowly dialed the emergency number Alice had given her.

She picked up on the 3rd ring.

"What is it? What's going on?" Alice asked, intense.

"Alice...they're dead...someone slaughtered them all. Jacob-" her voice cracked on his name and she couldn't speak of the horrors anymore. She walked out to get the acrid taste of blood from her mouth. Alice hesitated.

"No one was supposed to get hurt...I never fathomed they would-"

"They? _Alice what have you done_?"


	6. Tragic Propositions

**PRESENT**

 **Under The Streets of Volterra**

Bella's phone rang and she looked down and smirked.

"Aro, it's been too long."

"Alec," he began unamused. "You've taken him." It wasn't a question or an accusation. Just fact. "And Jane and Heidi as well."

She was silent for a moment. She liked this part.

"You can have his torso back if you'd like, I have no use for it. As for Jane and Heidi- I did you a favor. Dreadfully annoying those two." Aro made a low hissing sound and then he went utterly silent. "Do hurry up with your reason for disturbing my peace, darling I haven't got all day."

"I have a proposition for you-" He began before she cut him off.

"I have no interest in any propositions, sorry." Bella had become more focused in previous years, tragedy will do that to you. Focus dulls the pain, and occupies the mind. The plan she had brewing looped in her head daily. It kept her mind away from the things that brought what tiny bit of empathy she had left. That was dangerous to her. It could undo all her work up until this point which was why she never looked Edward directly in the eye. It reminded her of a life and a person she no longer was. Her life old and new were coated in far too much blood shed for her to ever go back.

"I think you'll be interested in this. What if I were to give you the Cullen's?" The line was quiet for some time after that.

"I'm listening."

 **Volturi Manor**

Edward was being restrained by both Jasper and Emmett. He had rushed Alice after her confession of being the one who changed Bella. He couldn't help himself all he could see was red.

"Let's hear her out! Jesus, Edward _relax."_ Emmett said through gritted teeth. Edward's struggling intensified until he broke free but he made no move for Alice again. Her eyes were bright and wide with regret and fear.

"I had to change her, Edward I didn't have a choice-"

"Was she dying?" Esme asked. She was standing with her arm around Carlisle, her eyebrows furrowed.

"No. But you have to understand that if I thought I had another choice- if I could go back-"

"YOU CAN'T, ALICE." Edward shouted. He was becoming undone, and that much was clear to them all. Alice had been dreading this day- even though she hadn't seen it coming in a vision. Somethings she just knew were inevitable.

"I was communicating back and forth with Bella for a few months," her eyes stayed on Edward. "It was harmless. I didn't think anything would come of it but after I...I caused a tragedy for her... I thought I was doing the right thing- or maybe I was doing the wrong thing for the right reason..I can't really say. But after everything I had a vision unlike anything I'd ever seen before. It was like a split screen of her future. It was either going to go fine or it was going to end with her being dark and blood thirsty and...nothing like the Bella we knew. I made a judgment call. I thought I was doing the right thing, Edward. But I made it worse. Much, much worse."

She didn't mention the pack, or their deaths because she wasnt ready to acknowledge her fault in that just yet, or who else she involved. Although the _full_ story wasn't out, Alice felt a tremendous weight leave her.

"Tragedy. What _tragedy_?"

 _crap._


	7. Then and Now

**Five Years Earlier**

"They? _Alice, what have you done?"_

She hesitated. Ever since beginning to secretly correspond with Bella it was all she seemed to do - _hesitate_. Alice wasn't sure of any moves she made.

"I warned you to stay away from werewolves, Bella they're dangerous. But you kept seeing Jacob every day and I couldn't see you anymore because of their unpredictability...so I called the Volturi. They were only suppose to give them a warning to stay on the reservation and not cross any vampiric paths and to stay hidden, I didn't think they would-"

Bella was so quiet on the other end of the line that Alice stopped mid jumbled sentence to make sure she was still there.

"..Bella?" No answer.

" _Go to hell_."

And that was the beginning of the end.

It was everything that was holding Bella together- all snatched away in one foul murderous swoop. The fact that she was standing at all was a miracle. The months that followed were hollow and seemed to go by in a blur. The police couldn't make head or tails of the massacre and although it crossed her mind to out the entire vampire existence, consequences come as they may, Bella ultimately decided to remain quiet. No one would believe her and the last thing she needed was to be committed. The only survivors of the attack were women- Leah, Sue, Emily, and Lissette. Although Leah had already made her change to the wolf side, the remaining women didn't have their transformation until after the carnage. Tragedy had touched them all yet spared them too, because the four women were away on a trip at the time. A celebration of Lissette's 21st birthday. A detail that would soon be forgotten by all.

Bella, for her part seemed to be handling things as expected. No sleeping or eating. Even talking became a daunting task. As a habit, she kept her cellphone off regularly, the last thing she wanted was to hear from Alice. The sister who betrayed her. In fact, a deep rooted hate for all of the Cullen's began to brew in her belly. But she was human, and there was nothing she could do to fix the scales. Drugs seemed to be the easiest escape, Bella's doctor's had her prescribed to some heavy sleep meds, but that wasn't exactly cutting it. A little liquor added with the pills however, provided her with the peace she so desperately desired.

Without help, she was a glutton for waking nightmares and the anxiety that plagued her about the things lurking in the dark.

She was dazed, her eyes barely open like tiny slits when she heard it. The distinct sound of her window opening. But she couldn't lift her head, it was too heavy from the pills so all she could do was lie there, helplessly.

"Who-...what?" She murmured, as she heard the window shut.

"Bella," Alice said, softly approaching her bedside. Upon hearing her voice, Bella grew violent and struggled against the meds in her system but she could do nothing more except flail her arms.

"Shhh," she placed a cool hand on her sweaty forehead. "I know you hate me. But, I had to make sure you were okay." Bella shifted slightly on the bed effectively moving Alice's hand away from her. Alice stopped speaking suddenly, her vision clouding over.

"Get _out."_ Bella hissed, but Alice was miles away in her mind seeing a split screen future that terrified her. On one side, she saw Bella as a vampire- she was beautiful and smiling and holding hands with a man that Alice couldn't see. But love radiated from them, and Bella seemed genuinely happy. The other side was the polar opposite. It was dark, and a vampiric Bella was coated in blood, smiling a menacing smile...holding _Edward's severed head by the hair._

She came back to the present with a shudder, eyes wide with terror as she gazed at her old sister. Alice couldn't see who had changed Bella in either vision, in fact- this vision was different from any that she'd ever experienced. Normally, she could see the future based off of what someone was _planning_ to do and what the consequences would be. This vision, or visions, seemed to be just that. A vague vision of the future and Alice had no way of knowing who's actions would bring which outcome. So she bit her.

She just _bit_ her. It was all she could think to do. She could have killed her right then, made it look like suicide to prevent both futures from coming to fruition. But she didn't want to completely rule out Bella's chance of happiness especially after all the pain she'd caused her up until this point. She figured that if _she_ changed Bella, then she could help her find her happiness. She could watch out for her like she should have in the beginning and make sure the left vision took place instead of the right. It was a split second decision, she could only pray for it to work out for the better.

" _Alice, what the hell_ -" Bella hissed as the fire spread through her veins. And then everything went black.

 **Volturi Manor present day**

When the truth was finally out, they were all silent.

Alice kept her gaze on Edward, waiting for him to speak. His lip curled as he approached her deliberately.

 _"How could you?"_ He hissed, his eyes wide with anguish. "So all those extended shopping trips to Europe and God knows where else- that's where you were. Off ruining lives-"

"For God sake, Edward! She saw Bella holding your decapitated head. What would any of us have done?" Emmett bellowed, defending Alice. Edward spinned to face him.

"Maybe we would have brought the subject to a vote? Made the choice _together_?" He said rhetorically. Rosalie took a step forward.

"You made the choice to leave on your own. You didn't ask any of us a single thing about it. You uprooted us and we haven't been the same since- Alice...as misguided as her steps were it's not her fault that we are where we are now. It's yours." He lunged at her. Thus making Emmett lunge at him and then it was utter chaos. Jasper took a breath and released a calming wave. It didn't do much to abate the tension but he had their attention.

"Didn't you say that Bella said we would tear each other apart? This is what she wanted," he turned to Alice.

"What happened after you changed her?"

She hesitated.

"I took her to our old home in forks to finish the change. When she was finally coming out of it I had another vision," she stopped. Her eyes were rimmed red. "The dark vision of her future...it was all I saw. The good version was gone, and I realized that it was me. I was the choice that made this future. I did all of this. She was still holding Edward's head in her hand," her voice dropped to a whisper.

"And I knew I had to kill her. I couldn't bring that kind of evil into the world; there was no telling the horrors she would inevitably inflict. She started to wake up and I knew I didn't have much time so I lit a fire."

"Oh, Alice." Esme clasped hand over her mouth.

"I was going to do it. But four werewolves appeared and I couldn't take them all on so I ran." The shame she felt was palpable and filled the air among them.

"How could you run and just leave the mess you made? How could you come home to us and pretend everything was fine? You know," Edward inched toward her a step. "I knew you were hiding something. Your thoughts were always a scattered mess. I thought I was protecting your privacy...and the entire time you were just betraying me."

Alice's red rimmed eyes fell upon Edward as she measured him.

"I had a choice between protecting Bella or you. Given that choice again I would choose you every time."


	8. The Rest

**Present Day Volterra**

"I think you'll be interested in this. What if I were to give you the Cullen's?" The line was quiet for some time after that.

"I'm listening." Bella responded, curling a dark strand of hair around her finger tip. How she loved toying with the desperate.

"I can get them all to you. One location- you can finally exact your revenge on those who have truly wronged you and all all this wretchedness can end!" Aro pressed the phone closer to his ear eager for her response. She was quick.

"Do you truly think that if I wanted them all in one room at my disposal, I couldn't make that happen?" He had prepared for that.

"Of course you could. But getting them in a room unwittingly with their guard down is a different game. And we all know how much you love games." He was smiling into the phone, she could sense that much.

"I am a master of manipulation, Aro. If I wanted that, I could make it so. At this precise moment, the Cullen's are squabbling in one of your spare rooms on the verge of combusting. They are exactly where I want them. As are you." She was confident and calm. Aro hesitated. He had only one card left to play and he wasn't sure if now was the time.

"I know what you're really after. Or _who_ , I should say."

Her ears perked up and she sat a little straighter taking a pause before her rebuttal. It was a low hiss.

"And how on Earth do you know about that?"

"You aren't the only one with a gift, dear. A woman in this world traipsing around looking for him...did you really think it wouldn't get back to me?" She tapped an impatient nail against the table. This was getting tedious, but she was in it for the ultimate satisfaction she reminded herself.

"Let me remind you of something, _dear._ The sole purpose of you being alive at the moment is simply so that I can have the satisfaction of killing you a the proper _time_ -" He tried to cut her off but she continued, her voice growing more dark with each sentence.

"And I could easily take that _gift_ of yours and rip your head from your body at any time of my choosing. It alone has made you somewhat of an entertaining and worthy adversary, and yet I'm growing _quite tired._ So if you have information regarding my search I suggest you reveal it now and buy yourself a few more days before I end you." Aro made what sounded like a strangled cough.

"I live. That's the condition, I tell how to find him and you let me live- I'm not giving you this and dying anyway." To Bella, he sounded incredibly pathetic. She smirked a little.

"After what you did on the reservation, there is no way for you out of this besides death. Its a little overdue for you, Aro don't you think? And really after all you've taken from me did you really expect me to grant you mercy?"

Rhetorical. But he struggled out an answer anyway.

"I didn't know you cared for the boy so much," He said. He was quiet for a moment before he returned, firm. "Kill me if you must, but I won't let you find him."

 _Click._

A frustrated groan came from behind Bella, and she turned to see the person who expressed it.

"Don't worry," Bella said calmly. "We will find him. With or without Aro."

The figure made a scoffing sound, seemingly doubtful.

"We needed that information. You're getting careless. Your love of the chase and this game with Aro is clouding your judgement." The figure said matter of factly.

"Trust me, we will have our revenge."

 **Volturi Manor**

Aro made his way to the room where the Cullen's congregated over all the new information Alice laid at their feet. He entered silently and immediately all eyes moved to him.

"I've made a grave, grave mistake. I was going to turn you over to her. But things have changed and I can no longer...lets just say I've changed sides." His eyes were wide as he looked at each of them.

"Why did you kill them? Why did you slaughter them all? I trusted you!" Alice rushed to him, furious. She was banging her tiny fists on his chest letting out all the anger she couldn't expel in front of her family earlier. Aro looked completely dumbfounded.

"What are you talking about? _All?_ We had Jane kill one. As a warning. Nothing more." Alice stepped back from him confused.

"If you only killed one of them... _who killed the rest_?"


	9. You again

_A/N: Reviews are appreciated, thanks everybody for the kind words._

 **Present Day Volterra**

The next day passed with no movement from either side although the air among them was thick with tension. Alice felt better about the toxic secrets that had been plaguing her for years finally being expelled, but the hatred radiating from Edward was excruciating. Thats what darkness does, she mused. It tempts you; makes you think that doing the wrong thing is your only option even with your good intentions. No matter what Alice's intentions had been, she was the catalyst for the darkness surrounding Bella. That much she knew.

Jasper was on the move, checking for flights and trying to locate some of their allies in Denali for help. Esme was against this seeing as many of them were gifted and this would be like bringing pigs to the slaughter. He'd thought the same too, but he had some tactical strategies in his mind he was playing through. Aro stood in the large foyer of the manor looking out of one of the grand windows nervously.

"What do you know?" Edward pressed.

Aro didn't lookup, he knew the troubles with having a mind reader around. Although he kept his thoughts in check- it was tedious and a hard thing to maintain long term. He sighed.

"She's looking for someone. And we should pray to God she doesn't find him." He turned to look at Edward pointedly. "Your little girlfriend has one huge chip on her shoulder. So huge she's willing to destroy everything in her path. Even to the detriment of herself."

"Who is she looking for?" He asked, as Aro took a slight step back. If it was one thing Edward couldn't stand at this point in his life it was hesitation. "I said, _who is she looking for."_

"He may not even exist anymore," he shook his head. "It's a fool's errand."

Aro walked over and took a seat gesturing for Edward to do the same. He simply stood.

"There is tale of a vampire. He's said to be one of the _originals."_ Upon seeing Edward's raised eyebrow Aro continued. "The originals...meaning he was made by the original vampire. The very first. Anyway, he was said to be gifted. But gifted in a way that none have witnessed since his inception."

"What could he do?"

Aro's eyes shifted to the ground for a long moment before he looked up and met Edward's gaze.

"He can control time."

 **4 Years Earlier Seattle**

It had been a year since she'd been changed. A year since Alice tried to kill her and she was saved by what was left of the pack. And Bella was like a feral animal. She was in the alley near a Seattle bar in the dead of night, her eyes wide with hunger and anguish. The pack saved her, but hated her kind so they let her live because she loved Jacob. Because she too felt the loss of the men, but they wouldn't keep her around. Her mind was fractured. She was thirsty, angry, sad, and self loathing; she knew in her conscious mind that she shouldn't hurt innocent people, but she also couldn't ignore the burn. The internal struggle was driving her mad. In the year since she was changed she'd killed a number of animals and a few people all which she felt a deep guilt for.

She knew better than to be in a populated area such as this but the _burn._ She was tossing and flailing like an insane woman in the alley fighting against her nature. She banged her head into the brick wall before her several times with incredible force, trying to distract herself from the pain. That's when a low silky voice made its way to her ear.

"Pity. You hurting yourself like this when you could be hurting the one's who put you here." Bella had both hands on the wall with her head cast down.

"You should leave." She hissed and stopped breathing. She was trying to save this unwitting victim from death. She kept her eyes cast down.

"Oh Sugar, I'm just like you. The Cullens wronged me too." Bella's eyes snapped up and she scurried back in fear, trembling. Victoria pressed toward her calmly placing a hand on her cheek.

"Shhh," she began. "Hush with all that now. I'm here to help you, Bella."

"Why-...why do you want to help me? I thought-"

"That I hated you?" She interrupted smiling softly. "No, I know you weren't to blame. You weren't the one who killed him. And I think you've been hurt enough."

Bella eyed her dubiously. It was strange, Victoria finding her here and this new disposition. But Bella had no one else.

"So...I-...I don't really...I have nothing I can help you with in return-" She hushed her again.

"Oh honey, the enemy of my enemy is _a friend of mine_." She smiled.

 **Present Day Volterra**

"I think we've let them stew for long enough don't you think?" Victoria asked, pushing a frustrated hand through her vibrant red locks.

Bella said nothing for a moment before turning toward her ally and smiling.

"It's all apart of the game. The anxiety...The waiting to see what I'll do. They're scrambling." Victoria knew that Bella enjoyed this part of it but she was growing impatient.

"We need to find him and Aro knows where he is. So I say, you head over there a raise a little hell." And so that's what Bella did.


	10. A Little Hell

**Present Day Volterra**

"He can control time."

The sentence immediately silenced every vampire in the room. None of them had heard of such a gift, it seemed to be the stuff of legends. Edward ran a rough hand through his hair and blinked rapidly. The possibility of Bella finding this time keeper, whoever he was, had dangerous implications. If she traveled back far enough she could eradicate all of the Cullen's in one foul swoop. Or worse, change the path of history unwittingly, throwing the world into chaos.

"To what extent is his control over time? How far? How-" Jasper said rapidly, eyes wild with panic. Aro cut him off with a soft edge to his voice.

"No one knows. It's said to be a gift that holds tremendous weight and it's not easily navigated. The most important thing we can do is to keep her away from him. She can't get her hands on his head." The glass behind him shattered. Everyone's eyes snapped to the window behind Aro and they crouched defensively as Bella appeared with tiny flecks of glass glittering in her hair.

"I didn't miss the party, did I?" She glided in smoothly. Her eyes looked over to Aro.

"Naughty naughty boy. Hanging up on me like that." Her words come out leisurely as she chided him. "You know I got to Sam last week. And as I was decapitating him, I was wondering what I would do with the ability to manifest fire," she purred, lighting one of her hands with ease. The flame around it burned bright.

"And then I realized how convenient of a gift it actually is." She threw the flame and it landed on a plush chair to the right of them. It immediately went up in a flash of light igniting the chair in flames.

"I want information." Bella stated, eyeing everyone carefully.

"No one has to get hurt ahead of schedule as long as I get what I came for." Aro made a move to grab at her and she lifted a hand reflexively and froze him in place. Carlisle took in a shaky breath.

"Bella, we don't have any information for you-"

"But, _he does."_ She interrupted, walking in a slow circle around Aro. "All I need is a _name_."

Aro remained frozen where he stood, his eyes firm.

"Hmm. Maybe you need a little insensitive." Calmly she snapped his hand right off and casually tossed it into the fire. Edward let out what sounded like a strangled cough. Staring at this woman before him, his guilt was immeasurable. Alice played her part in Bella's demise but so had he. Leaving her, lying to her...it had all landed them here.

"Thats not going to grow back. Which of course you know. So, unless you'd like any other appendages to enter that flame, I suggest you get to talking."

She unfroze him and he let out a wail unlike anything they'd heard before. He fell to the ground with a shudder, cradling his arm. He looked at her and spat at her feet.

"Cyrus," he said bitterly. "Now that you have the name what do you plan to do with it?" He hissed, seemingly satisfied that she could do nothing with what he provided her with. Bella smiled softly, it was the first time since Edward had seen her that she looked somewhat like the girl he used to know. She turned her attention away from Aro and her gaze settled on Alice.

"Names are powerful things. Aren't they Alice?"

Alice's eyes were steady and she dropped Jasper's hand. She hadn't even realized that she'd been holding it.

"This is all my fault. Take it out on me, let my family go. If you kill me-" she began, only to be cut short by Jasper.

" _Alice. We don't owe this leech anything."_ He moved protectively in front of her, ready to die if it came down to it.

"Leech?" She asked.

"You heard me. We all have shitty things happen to us. But do you see anyone else here looking for a time lord to destroy life as we know it? _Grow up._ You got dumped and your dog died. If you want any of us, you're going through me first."

He was patronizing her. But this was a battle they were loosing and he was just grasping at straws. He saw Emmett moving into position behind Bella. She took a menacing step toward Jasper and raised her hand as if to strike him but she was interrupted by a pair of iron like arms gripping her. Emmett.

"Well, well, well. So the mice finally caught the cat." She said, unbothered. They made quick work pf her. Aro alerted the remaining guard and they surrounded the west wing of the manor. Emmett remained holding her in the center of the room while the rest of the Cullen's stood around her in a semi circle.

She looked down at his arms wrapped around her. "Is this really necessary?"

"Until we decide what to do with you." Carlisle said, avoiding her eyes. They had the place completely surrounded, they were finally a step ahead. They couldn't afford to waste any time.

"Lets kill her." Rosalie said low and Edward let out a hiss.

" _No."_ He was seething.

"I'd like to be released. And I'd like a moment alone with Alice." Bella said calmly. Jasper scoffed.

"You have my word that no harm will come to any of you as of now. I am many things. But I'm not a liar." She was looking directly at Edward now, her eyes searching. His resolve was breaking. Carlisle made a move and protest but Alice interrupted him.

"Emmett," she murmured. "Let her go. Let us talk." They were looking each other directly in the eye then. No one moved.

"We have the place completely covered. There's no where she could go." Emmett said slowly, but he was wrong. Bella could appear anywhere she wished within reason, she just had a thing for theatric entrances these days. After several protests, Alice was left alone with Bella while her family stood guard at the door.

"I tried to keep this from happening," Alice began as she took a seat across from Bella.

"I thought I was doing the right thing."

"You tried to kill me." Bella hissed.

"Only because...I saw you killing Edward." Bella's eyes snapped up. They looked surprised but she quickly covered.

"What a nifty little gift you have, Alice." There was an immeasurable pause. "I'll let you in on a little secret. I don't actually have to remove heads to steal gifts. That's more or less for show. The real trick," she said leaning in. "Is coaxing the gift out. It's like whispering to a child. Offering it a new home, if you will."

Alice's eyes narrowed.

"I'm mot giving you my gift, Bella." It came out low and firm. Alice shifted her body closer. "So I guess that means you're going to have to fight your way out of here and try to get my head in the process."

Carlisle, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Esme were all outside of the door huddled together formulating a plan. Jasper was adamantly against Alice being left alone with Bella but Edward thought it could be a sign of Bella's evil facade being broken down. Rosalie was out for blood, and Emmett was always eager for a fight. Esme seemed dubious.

"It's strange," she began. "That she came so easily. It's almost as if she wanted to get caught." They all eyed one another warily.

"Alice, whether you realize it or not- you're going to give me your gift and then I'm going to walk right out of that door."Bella said, crossing her legs.

"See, I've decided not to kill you. At least not today. And ripping off heads is getting somewhat tedious. I like to switch things up every now and then."

"What in the hell makes you think that I'm going to _willingly_ give you my power?"

Bella was smiling again.

"At no point am I ever _anywhere_ other than exactly where I want to be. I have what I came for, well, partially that is." She stood up and Alice followed suit defensively.

"I have the name. _Cyrus._ And as you know, names are power. And with your power in particular I'll be able to see his next steps. So you see," she purred, eyeing Alice pensively. "You're going to give me your gift _or_ I'm going slaughter everyone you love right now. And you and I both know I have the means to do so."

She started to weigh her options. She could start a fight but Bella could hold her hostage with just a flick of her wrist, kill her and then move on to the rest of them. Or she could give her what she wanted and then deal with the fall out later. It was a lose, lose. Alice sighed.

"Take it. But the future is not always as it seems." Bella smiled.

"I'm sure it isn't." She moved close to Alice and placed her lips to her ear almost as if to kiss her. She placed one hand on the side of her head and did a small coaxing motion with the other. White translucent glittering tendrils curled together and inched out of Alice's ear slowly and roped their way around Bella's fingers. She stepped back and smiled at the shimmering tendrils in her hand.

"Thanks a lot, sis." And then she was gone.


End file.
